Hispanic Heritage Month: Arroz Con Pollo

National Hispanic Heritage Month began September 15th and ends October 15th. Why does it start on the 15th, you might ask. It is meant to celebrate the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which all fall on that day (Mexico, Chile, and Belize, independence celebrations follow close behind). I realize it's September 27th...so we're a little behind,  but only on the blog posts! We definitely have been celebrating and will catch you up as soon as we can get on top of it all. I felt like it would be best to start with one of the most basic Hispanic foods I could think of...rice and beans. I took it one step further by cooking one of the most traditional Latin fares served all over Latin America with a lots of versions: arroz con pollo or rice with chicken.

The photo above is my rendition of arroz con pollo that Laura and I enjoyed for dinner tonight. I adapted it from a recipe for Arroz Rojo con Pollo y Frijoles Negros by Rick Bayless from his cookbook, Mexican Everyday. Go get this cookbook! It has so many great Mexican recipes beyond the Mexican varieties you may be used to. There are so many great recipes out there for arroz con pollo and so many ways to make it your own! It will definitely become a "go-to" dinner at my house!